AP: Ira Podell had comments from Bill Guerin, who disputed the media predictions about the club along with past knocks about management with his opinion this is a playoff team that can surprise next spring while Rick DiPietro discussed his surgeries as summer maintenance as he also defended the clubs record.

Mike Comrie talked about the young players while head coach Scott Gordon felt this team has to play more in the offensive zone because they were working well, but too long in the defensive zone a year ago.

NYI Fan Central Comments:I thought the AP was only supposed to put the quotes in the article? Instead Ira Podell writes Bill Guerin comments are about bravado, competitive spirit, or sheer denial and then writes about the clubs relevance?

That to me is over the line for the Associated Press.

Not the first time I have noticed this New York based AP Hockey writer get in a few shots at the club or not let the comments tell the story.

A little surprising Ira Podell's stat based argument went nowhere near the club leading the league in injuries or that the club was in sixth place last January.

Isn't the AP supposed to tell us the entire story, especially when they decided to discuss stats and players lost along with the standings?

I'm glad Bill Guerin defended his team and the management, some of this is out of hand and over the line. In my opinion (and I post all these articles) it sure seemed the core players on this team told the AP writer here a lot more than they have seemed willing to tell Newsday since camp started.

The real value in this article through head coach Scott Gordon inadvertently is weare picking up more and more of what he felt last year's team did not do well which had to come from the tapes of games and the hockey staff.

Newsday: Anthony Rieber had an interview with Josh Bailey's general manager in Windsor, Warren Rychel where he talked about the teams captain playing at the NHL level and that fans in Windsor will have a nice choice on Monday when both teams play.

Of course the important news of the day was Bailey left practice left practice on Thursday with an undisclosed injury as Mr Botta had more on from the teams practice on this but the team is not release details per policy.

NYI Fan Central Comments:Sure hope Bailey finally gets a chance here completely healthy, no doubt this means all bets are off for when/if he plays.

It also means Scott Gordon needs to tone down it's only the players from last years roster getting injured in drills mantra.

Mr Rieber got his implied message in about the Islanders keeping him here for PR purposes, no doubt about that. Rychel got his message out too asking why the fans could not see the exhibition game in New York.

First a full article from Mr Baumbach, now Mr Rieber? It beats their blog entries based on no information at all but given their past work it's a matter of when before they start beating all over the club for any reason they can find.

That's what they told us this summer themselves.

Newsday: Greg Logan has a blog update on Josh Bailey's new injury, the ramifications to the line combinations and what this means for Nate Thompson who plays center with Blake Comeau seemingly not on a set line.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's blog updates the injuries and line combinations at Thursday's practice. Mark Wotton will remain as captain. Tim Jackman is one assistant, Jeremy Colliton and Joe Callahan alternating the other A depending on home vs road.

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